Card processing apparatus



Sept. 22, 1959 Filed Oct. 10. 1957 E. AZARE ET AL CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zap Sept. 22, 1959 E, AzARl ET AL 2,905,466

CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed 06f.. l0, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O CARD-'PRGCESSNG APPARATUS -Eric-Azari, Pacific Palisades, AlfredE. Gray, Culver City,

HemanJ. Malin, Los Angeles, and Harold B. Thompson,Playa DelRey, Calif., assignors to The Magna- "vox Company, Los lAngeles, Calif., a corporation of 'Delaware .Application ctober 10,- 1957, Serial No. 689,347

11 Claims. f (Cl. 271-11) The .presentinvention relates to apparatus for carrying information storage cards from one station to another and for processingthe cards during such transport. The invention is concerned more particularly with a holding assembly for controlling 'the position of individual cards on the transporting means.

Systems and apparatus'have been devised in recent years for selecting, storing,`iiling, collating, sorting and tfor otherwise processing recorded data on a plurality of information storage cards. This data may be recorded on these cards by a series of selectively positioned holes or by discrete areas of different magnetic polarities. 'The data may also be recorded on a photographic basis such that black areas, for example, represent particular information and w'hite areas represent other information. The datay may also be recorded on a combined magnetic or photographic basis, or in any other suitable manner.

For the. purposes Vof the `present description, the information or data is assumed to be recorded on the cards in the form of magnetic y polarized areas. Also, the assembly of the invention will be described in conjunction with suitable transport means such as a rotatable vacuum .pressure .transporting drum. vT his drum Adevelops a vacuum pressure at its-peripheral surface, and this vacuumA pressure enables the.information cards to be/iirmly retained on the periphery of-the drum so that they may -be carried by the drum from one station to another. The

vacuum transporting drumdescribed above may' be used in dataprocessng apparatus in conjunction with other Vsimilar drums. Appropriate mechanisms havebeen devised for transferring the cards 'from various input Vstations to the drums and between 'different ones of the drums and from the drums. to various output stations.

It is often required inapparatus of the type described yabove for the position of a card on the peripheral surface of the transporting 'drum to be altered relative`to the positions of other cards. This has usually been carried out in the prior arttsystems by transferring such ancar'd to an auxiliary circulating drum and by subsequently re- `turning the card to the original drum. This prior method, however, is somewhat rslow;and it requires a relatively large number of extraneous elements.

Copending application 638,033 iled February 4, i957 in 'thefname of Alfre'dfM. Nelson et al, discloses and claims a relatively simpleassembly for accomplishing the above..purpose without the requirement of an lauxiliary drum. This assembly includes a holding member which is `positioned-adjacentithe periphery ofthe transporting drum. The holding memberfis-spaeed -from therperiphery of 4the-drum, andiit has an arcuate surface ffacnr'g -the peripheral .surfacemf rthe drum. A 'vacuum pressure iis establishedatilhenrcuae sulfatfev of the holding member, 1 and 1 this ivacuumfpmssnre serves to l overcome the retaining effectv 'o'ffthe fdrumfon the car'tlseoniing under its `in- IBilance. In 'this'manner, Va 3particular l card may 'be held by'theholiiing'meniber against-rotation by the drum.

In one embodiment of the invention disclosed and aimedin the copending application, Ja cardis held statates.

ICC

tionary by the holding member with a portion of the card engaging the periphery of the drum while the drum ro- Preferably the trailing portion of the restrained card is held against the holding member of the copending case while the leading portion of the restrained card is disposed against the periphery of the drum. This holding operation is continued for a selected interval so as to change the position of the restrained card on the drum with respect to other cards, or to delay its transfer to another drum.

The present invention provides ay holding station that is similar in its accomplishment to the embodiment of the copending application described in the .paragraph above. However, the station of the present invention is constructed in an extremely simple manner, and it requires less space than the embodiment of the copending case. The assembly of 'the present invention, moreover, may be operated by an inherently simple control system. The assembly includes a pick-off member having a conguration for lifting the cards from the drum, for guiding the cards alongthe drum and for subsequently returning the cards to the drum. Means including ya hollow tube with a plurality of openings are inclined in the line`2-2 of Figure 1 and shows details of a vacuum 'pressure transporting drum which may be included in the apparatus of the invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional View substantially on the line 3-3 ofFigure l and illustrates on an enlarged scaleand in specific detail a pneumatic gate transfer mechanism used in the illustrated apparatus of the invention;

Figure 4'is a view substantially on the line 4-4 of Figurel and lshows on an enlarged scale a holdingfstation constituting one embodiment of the invention and also shows means for providing vacuumY pressure at an arcuate surface of'the holding station to selectively arrest cards on that surface from being transported by the rotating drum;

Figure 5 is a view substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure l and also shows on an enlarged scale several of the components of the holding station; and

'Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the holdingstation and an adjacent portion of the drum to illustrate in further detail the construction of the holding member and the disposition of the member relative to the drum.

The apparatus of the invention includes suitable transport means such as transport means movable in a closed loop. For-example, the transport means may be a drum 10 which is rotatably mounted on a table top 11, only a fragment of the table top being shown. The drum :10 is constructed in a manner described in `detail subsequently, and it carries informationcards on its peripheral surface -from one station to another.

An input station 14 is positioned to be contiguous to the peripheral surface of the drum 10. This input station serves'to hold a plurality of information storage-cardsfina stacked condition between a pair of walls 14a and 14h, with the cards extending generally vertically and with the lower edges of the cards resting on the table top 11.

The cards are moved forwardly in the input station `14 by suitable resilient biasing means (not shown) so that the face of the leading card is biased against the peripheral surface of the transporting drum 10. This leading card is under the inliuence of vacuum pressure provided, in a manner to be described, at the peripheral surface of the drum. Because of this vacuum pressure, the rotating drum creates a pull on the leading card which tends to remove it from the input station. However, the removal of the card from the station may be prevented by a feed head 16. This feed head may be constructed in a manner similar to that disclosed and claimed in coraewiinfr` application Serial No. 552,506 filed December l2, 1955 in the name of Hans M. Stern.

The feed head 16 extends through the trailing wall l4b of the input station 14. This feed head has a face 18 which engages a trailing portion of the surface of the leading card in the station. A conduit extends through the feed head 16 and communicates with an orifice, or series of orifices, at the face 18. A vacuum pressure feed line 22 is coupled to a vacuum pump (not shown), and a solenoid actuated valve 24 of appropriate known construction is positioned in the feed line. This valve serves selectively to control the vacuum pressure to the face 18 of the feed head 16. The solenoid valve is controlled by a suitable control circuit which is not shown. Whenever the vacuum pressure from the vacuum pump 1s introduced by the feed line 22 to the feed head 16. the orifices in the face 18 of the feed head exert a vacuum pressure on the leading card in the input station 14. This vacuum pressure is sufficient to overcome the pull exerted on that card by the vacuum pressure at the peripheral surface of the transporting drum 10.

The cards. therefore are retained in the input station 14 so long as a vacuum force is produced at the orifices in the face 1 8 of the feed head 16. However, under the control of the solenoid valve 24. the vacuum pressure at these orifices can be intermittently or continuously interrupted to permit one or more cards to be successively fed by the input station 14 to the peripheral surface of the drum 10. Any cards so fed to the drum are firmly retained on the peripheral surface of the drum by a vacuum pressure which is developed at that surface, and these cards are carried by the drum for subsequent processlng.

Transdncing means 26 may be positioned on the table top 1l adjacent the drum 10. The transducing means are displaced slightly from the input station 14 in the direction of rotation of the transporting drum. The transducing means 26 may be of known construction and may include a plurality of individual transducer heads. Each transducer head may be disposed in contiguous relationship to a different row of recorded data on the cards transported by the drum as the cards are carried past the transducer heads.

A holding station 30 is also mounted on the table top 11, and this holding station is positioned adjacent the periphery of the transporting drum 10. The holding station may be displaced' angularly from the transducing means 26 by a slight amount in the direction of rotation of the drum. The holding station 30 is constructed in accordance with the present invention, and its structural details will be described subsequently. It is believed suicient at present to point out that the holding station includes a holding member having an arcuate-shaped surface and which includes a pair of fingers at its leading edge. These lingers extend into contiguous relationship with the peripheral surface of the transporting drum, and they serve to withdraw the cards from the drum for movement over the arcuate-shaped surface.

The surface of the holding member has a series of orifices extending across its width, and in a manner to be described, a vacuum pressure is established at these oriiices selectively to arrest a card passing over the surface. The holding station 30, therefore, serves to hold any card transported to it by the drum 10 against further rotation by the drum until the vacuum pressure `at the surface of the arcuate-shaped member is removed.

A second vacuum pressure transporting drum 32 may be rotatably mounted on the table top 11 adjacent the drum 10. The constructional details of the drum 32 may be similar to those of the drum 10. The drum 10 may be rotatable in a counterclockwise direction, and the drum 32 may be rotatable in a clockwise direction.

A gate transfer mechanism 34 is positioned adjacent the contiguous positions of the drums 10 and 32. This gate transfer mechanism may be constructed in a manner similar to that described in copending application Serial No. 562,154 filed January 30, 1956 in the name of Stuart L. Peck et al. The gate transfer mechanism serves to transfer selected cards from the d'rum 10 to the drum 32. The constructional details of a suitable embodiment for the gate transfer mechanism 34 will be disclosed in conjunction with the description relating to Figure 3.

Further transducing means 36 may be mounted on the table top 11 and may be positioned adjacent the periphery of the vacuum transporting drum 32. The transducing means 36 are spaced angularly by a slight amount in the direction of rotation of the drum 32 from the contiguous position between the drums 10 and 32. The transducing means 36, like the transducing means 26, may be of known construction and may also comprise a plurality of individual transducer heads. Each of these latter heads, as in the case of the transducing means 26, is associated with a different row of magnetically recorded data on the cards transported by the peripheral surface of the transporting drum 32.

An output station 38 may be mounted on the table top 11, and this output station may be positioned adjacent the peripheral surface of the transporting drum 32. The station 38 has its trailing wall protruding into contiguous relationship with the periphery of the drum 32. This trailing `wall serves to arrest the motion of cards transported to it by the drum 32.

A stationary pick-off member 42 is mounted adjacent the drum 32, and this pick-off member is displaced from the trailing wall of the station 38 by a distance which is less than the length of the individual information cards. The end portions of the pick-off member 42 are formed into fingers which extend into axially spaced peripheral grooves in the drum 32. The pick-off member also has a central portion which is bulged outwardly from the periphery of the drum 32.

The construction of the output station 38 and the pickotf member 42 may be similar to that described in copending application, Serial No. 538,111, filed October 3, 5, in the name of Robert M. Hayes et al.

The pick-olf member 42 operates in conjunction with the drum 32 and the output station 38 to insure that the cards become stacked in the station in the same order as their movement with the drum 32 toward the station. This results from the fact that any card transported by the drum 32 is brought against the trailing wall of the stations 38, and such card is held with its trailing end displaced outwardly from the periphery of the drum 32 by the lifter member 42. The next card then passes under the preceding card, and it also is arrested by the trailing Wall of the station 38. This succeeding card causes the preceding card to be deposited in the output station 38.

In this manner, all cards transferred to the drum 32 by the gate transfer mechanism 34 may first be processed by the transducing means 36 and may then be deposited in their proper sequence in the output station 38. The cards are supported in the output station 38 in a generally stacked condition between the walls of the station and with their lower edges resting on the table top 11.

A further output station indicated generally as 44 may be mounted on the table top 11, and this latter output station may be disposed adjacent the periphery of the transporting 10. The output station 44 is posi- :E tionedwith respect to thedmm 1.0 atapositiondisplaced in the direction of 4rotation ofttltlednumY fromthe position of contiguity between the-.drum .10.1and the drinn 32. This latter outputfstationmaybesimilar inits constructional detailsto the: output statim.38,.and it1 may be provided with va correspondingpicloo member 48.

-ln the systemoFigurelf the. oardsf in-.theinput station 14 may becontrollablyreleased bytheeedheadliin a one-by-one sequence tofthmperipheralssurfaceaof the drum under theeontrol of .thesoflenoidvalve 24. The cards so fed to the peripheral surface of the drum 10 are sensed by the transdueing means 26. This transducing means may, byfanf-appropriatecontrol system, control the operationoftheholdingstation .and of the gate transfer mechanism .-34. .'lhat.is,.certain selected cards processed by thetransducing meansl may cause the control systernto activatethe gate=transfermechanism 34 so that such cards. may betransferredtothe drum 32 for further processingbythe transducing means 36. This further processingmay-comprise, for example, recording new data on the selectedcards; or it may comprise reading data already recorded onthe selected cards. AThe selected cards, after. such furtherprocessingfare then deposited inrthe output station .38 in.the described manner.

Certain other cards processed by the transducing means 26 may, on the other hand,.cause the control system to activate theholdiug station,0.so that .af-particular card may be held by the holding station againstthe rotation of the drum 10. ,This holding maydelay the transfer of that card bythelgate transfer-mechanism4 to the drum 32 until other cards havebeen fed to thelatterdrum'by other adjacent drums or input stations .(not shown). Alternately, the particular cardmay beV held-bytheholding station 30 until other .cardsare fedto the .drum 10 either by the inputstationf14, orby otherinput stations and contiguous drums (not shown).

The retention of a .particular .card `by .the holding station 30 facilitates the handling of the cards, indifferent types of data processing systems. .Forcxample such retention of cardsmay beadvantageous when cards from a4 plurality of stations are tobe mcrgged or.collated or when cards from .oneor more4 stations areto be sorted. T he time interval for the retention ofthe particular card by the holdingfstation iscontrollable ,by suitable, electrical control signals.

.The rotatable vacuumpressuretransporting drums 10 and 32 may beconstructedina mannersimilar tothat described in vcopending .application Serial .No. 600,975 tiled July 30, 1,956, in thenarne of I,Loren R. Wilson. Details ofthe drum 10 .areshowm fonexample, in Figure 2. Asfpreviouslystatedthedrum 32 may havea similar construction.

As fully described in the copending .Wilson application Serial No. 600,975, the drumlis provided with a lower section andan upperfsection. Thelower section of the drum includes a disk-like-.bottomportion118 vand an integral annular sideportionl20. Apair ofwaxially spaced peripheral slots 122 and 124 extend throughrthe yside portion 12.0. .The :slots 122 and 4124 rextend .completely around the peripheryofthe side portion 120. .In order to retain the integral construction ofthe .side portion 120, this portionmay be reinforcedatits inner surface by` a plurality of ribs .126. A pair` of axially: spacedperipheral groovesextend around.' the outerperipheralsurface ofthe sideportion 120. These grooves arerespectively ,positioned adjacent. theslots.122.and 124, and theymeceive the finger-like portions `of thepickoffmembers 42 and 48, as described above.

The disk-likexbottomportion.118.of.the.lower section is undercut, .asshowmat 128. .This enables-the .table top 11 to extendbeyondthmouterllimits .ofthe .side portion .120 sotthatthe side portion -.overlaps.the.table.top

.in -the mannershown. Therefore, the cards .supported .endwise on theabletop by the input \station.14, andby the other stations have no tendency to slip down between 6 the table yand the drum and become misplaced or damaged.

-The upper section of the drum 10 is in the form of a disk-like member 130 which engagesthe annular side member of thelower section. The upper section forms an enclosure with the lower section ofthe drum, with the upper section parallel to the disk-shaped bottom portion 118 of the lower section. The-upper section 130 is held in place on the side portion 120 by` a plurality of screws 132.

When one of the cards is fed from the .input station 14 to the drum 10, this card is held on the outer peripheral surface of the side-.portion 120 of the drum by vacuum pressure. It is, of course, important that the cards be fed to this peripheral surface in an. accurately oriented. position so that they may be properly processed in the system.

A deectorfring is supported within the.interior ofthe drum in press-fit with the inner surface of the annular side portion 120. This deflector ring is tapered toward the center of the drum to minimize the turbulence of air flowing through .the drum and toprovide a streamlined path for the air which is drawn in through the orifices 122 and 124. The under surface ofthe `upper section 130 is bulged so as to have a convexshape.

This convex shape cooperates with the ring 140 inA providing a smoothpath for the air drawnin through the orifices 122 and 124.

The portion 118 of the lower section of the drum 10 contains a central opening which is defined by an annular collar 141. The collar 141 fits on a second collar ,'142 positioned at the end of a shaft 144. This shaft extends into the opening in the lower portion 118 of the drum in a press-fit with that portion. Therefore, rotationof the hollow shaft 144.causes the drum 10 to rotate. Moreover, the interior of the yshaft 144 communicates with the interior of the drum 10. Bearings 146 are provided at opposite ends of the shaft 144. The inner races of the bearings 146 are mounted on the shaft .144, and the outer races of these bearings are disposed against bushings 148. yThe bushings 148 are secured to a housing 150 by a plurality of studs 152.

An opening 156 is provided in the housing 150 between the bearings 146 so that a drive belt 158 may extend through the opening into the housing 150.and around a pulley 160. The pulley 160 is keyed to the shaft 144 between the bearings 146, and the pulley is held against axial movement by a pair of sleeves 162. These sleeves are mounted on the shaft 144 and are respectively positioned between the pulley and respective ones of the bearings 146.

The bearings 146 and the sleeves 162 are held on the shaft 144 by a nut 166. Thisnut is screwed on a threaded portion at the bottom of the shaft, and a lock washer 164 is interposed between it and the lower bearing 146. A sealing disk 168 is also screwed on the threaded portion at the bottom of the shaft 14'4. .The sealing disk 168 operates in conjunction with abottom plate 170 to resist the movement ofair between the interior of the housing 150 and the interior of the hollow shaft 144 when a pressure differential exists between the housing and the shaft.

The bottom plate 170 is secured to the housing .150 by a plurality of studs 172, and the bottom plate has a central circular opening. A hollow conduit 174 extends into the opening in the bottomplate 170` and in friction-fit with that plate. The conduit 174-is axially aligned with the hollow shaft 144 so that air may be exhausted from the hollow interiors of the shaftand the conduit by a vacuum pump 176. This pump may be of any suitable known construction and, for that reason, is shown in block form only.

The vacuum pump 176 draws air inwardly through the slots 122 and 124 and through the interior ofthe drum 10 and downwardly through the shaft 144 and through the conduit 174. This creates a vacuumpressure at the outer peripheral surface `of the annular portion 120 of the lower section of the drum 10. The defiector ring 140 and the convex underside of the section 130 assures that the air will fiow smoothly and with a minimum of turbulence. This enables a high and adequate vacuum pressure to be produced around the outer surface of the annular side portion 120 firmly to retain the cards on that surface.

The gate transfer mechanism 34, as mentioned above, is disposed between the vacuum transport drums 10 and 32. This gate is positioned in generally tangential relationship with the periphery of the drum 10. However, the gate is spaced from that periphery a distance sufficient to allow the cards on the drum 10 to be circulated between it and the drum. As illustrated in Figure l. the gate has a plan shape corresponding substantially to a teardrop, and it is symmetrical about its central axis. This central axis, as previously noted, is tangential to the periphery of the drum 10.

The gate 34 has a tapered configuration such that its narrow end or mouth is near the periphery of the drum 10. It has a hollow interior, preferably of parabolic shape. This hollow interior defines a mouth portion 206 as shown in Figures 3. A plate 207 is mounted across the mouth portion of the gate, and this plate is provided with a pair of apertures 208. These apertures extend through the plate 207 in respective alignment with the peripheral slots 122 and 124 in the drum 10.

The gate transfer mechanism 34 is so positioned that air or other fluid under pressure may pass through its mouth portion 206 and outwardly through the apertures 208 along the periphery of the drum 10. A passageway 210 extends through the gate and communicates with the mouth portion 206. A feed line 212 is coupled to the other end of the passageway 210 by any suitable coupled. The feed line 212 is adapted to supply pressurized fluid. such as air. to the gate transfer mechanism for any suitable source (not shown).

A suitable valve 214 is disposed in the feed line 212 to control the ow of pressurized fluid through the line. This valve may be actuated in known manner by a solenoid. A control source 216 is provided for controlling the energizing of the solenoid selectively to activate the valve 214. The valve is opened whenever the solenoid is energized. When the solenoid is energized, therefore, air under pressure passes to the gate transfer mechanism 34. This air flows through the passageway 210 and through the mouth 206 of the gate. The air emerges from the apertures 208 as pressurized streams.

The pressurized streams emerging from the apertures 208 have a relatively high velocity because of the relatively small diameter of the apertures. These streams. therefore, pass along the periphery of the drum 10 with relatively high force. This passage of the streams is in a tangential direction with respect to the drum 10. Therefore, the streams exert a shearing force between the periphery of the drum 10 and the leading edge of the particular card which they contact on the drum. This causes the leading portion of the card to be moved radially outwardly from the drum. That is, the streams lift the leading edge of the card from the periphery of the drum in opposition to the retaining vacuum pressure exerted on the card through the orifices of the drum.

After being lifted from the periphery of the drum 10, the leading edge of the card in question passes over the gate 34 and comes under the infiuence of the vacuum pressure at the periphery of the drum 32. Subsequent rotation of the drum 10 moves the card over the gate 34 so that the entire card comes under the infiuence of the vacuum pressure at the peripheral surface of the drum 32. In this manner, a card is transferred from the drum 10 to the drum 32 when the solenoid actuated valve 214 is energized.

The embodiment of the holding station 30 of the present invention shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 includes an arcuate-shaped member 300. This member has a pair of axially spaced, integral ng'ers 302 and 304 at its leading edge, and these fingers extend into respective ones of the peripheral grooves in the dnum 10 adjacent the slots 122 and 124. The extremities of these fingers extend into the grooves flush with the outer surface of the peripheral edge of the drum 10. However, the outer surface of this arcuate-shaped member is bulged outwardly in a radial direction from the peripheral surface of the drum.

The member 300 is supported by a tubular element 306. This tubular element extends through the table top 11, and it is secured to the table top by means of a nut 308 which is threaded to that element. The portion of the tubular element 306 extending under the table top is threaded to receive a conduit 310. This conduit extends to a suitable vacuum pump (not shown). A solenoid-actuated valve 312 is interposed in the conduit 310 to control the vacuum pressure exerted through the conduit at the surface of the arcuate-shaped member 300.

The arcuate-shaped member 300 has a series of orifices 314 extending across its outer surface. The tubular element 306 communicates with these orifices. Also, a rubber-like element 316 is inset on the surface of the arcuateshaped member 300 adjacent the orifices 314. This element 316 exhibits a relatively high coefficient of friction to the cards.

In a constructed embodiment of the invention, a sheet of rubber of thickness of lyg" was bonded to the surface of the member 300, and five orifices his" wide and W16 long were cut through the member and through the rubber sheet. This rubber sheet was found to increase materially the holding capabilities of the member 300 when a vacuum pressure was established at its arcuate surface.

In the absence of a vacuum pressure through the solenoid-actuated valve 312, any card transported on the periphery of the drum 10 engages the fingers 302 and 304 of the arcuate-shaped member 300. This card is then forced upwardly over the outer surface of the arcuate- `shaped member 300. The card is then moved by the drum 10 over the member 300 and returned to the drum. However, the control provided by the solenoid valve 312 to produce a vacuum pressure at the orifices 314 causes the card to become arrested on the member. The card is held in this manner against the force exerted on it by the vacuum pressure at the periphery of the drum 10. The card is held by the member 300 with its trailing edge engaging the periphery of the drum 10 while the drum continues to rotate. As previously noted, this holding may continue for a selected interval to change the position of the particular card on the periphery of the drum 10 for any particular reason, or to delay the transfer of that card to the drum 32, or to fulfill any other particular requirement. At the end of the interval, the card may be released by de-energizing the solenoid controlling the valve 312. The card is now able to continue to be transported by the drum 10.

Although the holding station of the present invention has been illustrated as incorporated in a particular type of data processing system, the invention is clearly not limited to such a system. The principles and techniques involved in the present invention are clearly susceptible to numerous other applications which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. For example, the holding station would not necessarily have to be included in a card processing system which includes a pair of drums such as the drums 10 and 32, transducing means 26 and 36 respectively associated with the drums 10 and 32, output stations 44 and 38 associated with the drums and the gate transfer mechanism 34 for transferring cards from the drum 10 to the drum 32. It should be appreciated that the holding station can be employed in any other system using transport means for carrying cards.

vAlffx'm1gh'-this .application has been. disclosed and illus- .'trated .with Yrefereuee ato particular :applicatons, f the rprin- Jciples involved .are susceptible of mumerous :other ,applications which l'will be apparent fto ipersons `skilled :in fthe art. The invention is,itherefore, .to .'bellimitetl only as iindicated by thefscope of the :appended claims.

"We :claim:

l. In apparatus for processing data yris-represented f-by signal information ion a fplurality fof iinformation:V storage cardsnthefcombination fof: trfansportsmeans' for thefeards, ca l'holding member for 'the 'cards ian'rl rmounted `adjacent 'saidi'transport means 'and having fa fsmfacetexrrdnignutfwardlyifrom the transport means fat oppositet'ends Aand =having :a humped :configuration ato iwithdraw feanh :card :from lthe ftransport means (for imovernent rover rsa'd surtfaeeand to return-the' cardsitothe'itsansport means :after lmovement `thercofover'said L surface, and means .ifor yin- Itrodueingaholdingforce to said 'surface lof saidfholrling member to cause a card from said transport means -;to be held adjacent said surface in position to be returned to said transport'meanszupon an'interrUptiOn'df the holding force at saidsurfaceof `sai'cl-holdingxmember.

f2. In apparatus for processingdata as represented by :signal information on a plurality .of informationstorage cards, the combination of: transport means for the cards, a holding member for the cards mounted adjacent said transport means and having a surface with a looped configuration and with opposite ends extending to the transport means to withdraw each card from the transport means for movement over said surface and to return the cards to the transport means after movement thereof over said surface, said surface having at least one aperture therein, and means for providing for a ow of uid through the orifice for the imposition of a force to cause a card from said transport means to be held against said surface and to be restrained from movement with the transport means during imposition of the force.

3. In apparatus for processing data as represented by signal information on a plurality of information storage cards, the combination of: means including a rotatable transporting drum for carrying the cards on its peripheral surface, a holding member for the cards mounted adjacent the peripheral surface of the transporting drum and having an arcuate-shaped surface disposed relative to said peripheral surface of said drum` with opposite ends of the holding member disposed in coupled relationship to the drum to withdraw each card from the transporting drum for movement over said surface and to return the cards to the drum after movement over said surface, said surface having at least one orice therein, a tubular element communicating with the orifice in the surface for providing for a flow of fluid through said orifice to produce a force for holding the cards against said holding member for restraint against movement with the drum, and valve control means coupled to said tubular element to control the flow of fluid through said orifice.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which at least a portion of said surface of said holding member is provided with properties for exhibiting a relatively high coefficient of friction with respect to the cards.

5. In apparatus for processing data as represented by signal information on a plurality of information storage cards, the combination of: a table, a vacuum pressure transporting drum rotatably mounted on said table top for carrying cards on its peripheral surface, a holding member for the cards and mounted on said table adjacent the peripheral surface of the transporting drum, said holding member having an arcuate-shaped surface including at least one finger at its leading edge extending into contiguous relationship with the peripheral surface of the drum to withdraw the cards from the transporting drum for movement over said arcuate-shaped surface of said holding member, said holding member also including at least one finger at its trailing edge and extending into contiguous relationship with .the drum tov obtain a return Vto ,tinenirum1ofithefoards:moving alongthe holding member, saideareuate-shapedfsurfacethaving aplurality of ori- ;ficeszthenein,randtartubularelement communicating with -said orifices ^-.'for :introducing a @vacuum pressure tto the orifices to cause a eard transferred from'thedrum to the holding miemberthovbe held against:the:surface of said fhoitling :membertin aposition 4to Vbe :returned kto the y.drum aupon. an xinterruption tof :the .fvaeuumtpressure at the oridices.

6. iinapparatus for .processingdatasasfrepresented by @signal information con La plurality1of information :storage cards, the combination of: a table, a vacuum pressure transporting :drum trotatably ;mounted con said table for ycarryingnzardson its per'ipheralssurfaees, l-saidfdrum having "azplurality of;axially spacedgroovesextending around vits'qeeriplreral rsurfaee, ra holding tmember ,for ,the cards fand imounted wonsaid :table top :adjacent ithe .peripheral -surface fof the .transporting ftlrirm, :said fholding member lhaving.an.arcuate-shapedsurface 'and'further having a rplurdlity dfifingenszat its leadingxdgeaextending into the Aperipireralvgroovestofsaidzdrumandfserving to ywithdraw ithercardstfromrthei drum forzrnovement over said surface of #said lholdinigfmember, a itubular element extending ithrough :said ftable :and serving :to :mount said -holding imember fon ssaid table, :said :tubular :element 4vcommunicating with said orifices for introducing a vacuum pressure to the orifices to cause a card from said drum to be held against the surface of said holding member in position to be returned to said drum upon an interruption of the vacuum pressure at the orifices.

7. In apparatus for processing data as represented by signal information on a plurality of information storage cards, the combination of: a table, a vacuum pressure transporting drum rotatably mounted on said table top for carrying cards on its peripheral surface and having a plurality of axially spaced peripheral grooves extending around such surface, a holding member for the cards and mounted on said table adjacent the peripheral surface of the transporting drum, said holding member having an arcuate-shaped surface of which at least a portion is composed of a material exhibiting a relatively high coefficient of friction, and said holding member including a plurality of fingers at its leading edge extending into the peripheral grooves in the peripheral surface of the drum, said fingers serving to withdraw the cards from the transporting drum for movement over said surface of said holding member to be subsequently returned to the drum, said surface of said holding member having a plurality of orifices therein, a tubular element extending through said table and serving to mount said holding member on said table, said tubular element communicating with said orifices for introducing a vacuum pressure to the orifices, and valve control means in said tubular element for causing a selected card from said drum to be held against said surface of said holding member in position to be returned to said drum upon an interruption of the vacuum pressure at the orifices by the control means.

8. In apparatus for processing data as represented by signal information on a plurality of information storage cards, the combination of transport means Afor the cards, transducing means disposed in coupled relationship to the transported cards to process selected information on the cards, a holding member disposed in coupled relationship to the transported cards at a position past the transducing means in the direction of movement of the cards and provided at its 4peripheral surface with a looped configuration in which opposite ends of the loop are disposed in coupled relationship to the transport means to withdraw cards from the transport means and to return cards to the transport means after movement of the transport means and in which the loop extends outwardly from the transport means from the opposite ends of the loop, and means coupled to the holding means and responsive to the information processed yby the transducing means for introducing a holding force to the looped surface of the holding means to cause particular cards transferred `from the transport means to the peripheral surface of the holding means to .be retained by the holding means against movement in accordance with the processed information.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the transport means are movable and are constructed to hold the cards for movement with the transport means and in which the holding means are constructed to introduce a vacuum force against the cards on the peripheral surface of the holding means for retaining the cards against movement.

10. In apparatus for processing data as represented by signal information on a plurality of information storage cards, the combination of: transport means for the cards, transducing means disposed in coupled relationship to the transported cards to process selected information on the cards, holding member having an arcuate periphery and having opposite ends disposed in coupled relationship to the transport means to withdraw cards from the transport means and to return cards to the transport means after movement along the arcuate periphery of the holding member, the holding member being disposed at a position after the transducing means in .the direction of movement of the cards and being provided with at least one orifice in its arcuate periphery for the withdrawal of air through the orifice, and vacuum means responsive to the information processed -by the transducing means and coupled to the holding member for obtaining a withdrawal of air through the orifice in the holding member in accordance with the processed information to obtain a retention of particular cards by the holding member against movement.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 in which the transport means are movable in closed loops and are constructed to hold the cards in fixed position on the transport means for movement with the transport means and in which an input stack is disposed in contiguous relationship to the transport means at a position -before the transducing means and the holding member in the direction of movement of the cards and is constructed to hold the cards in stacked relationship for an individual transfer of cards yfrom the input stack to the transport means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

